Object
Southend Central Area Action Plan (SCAAP) - Revised Proposed Submission 2016
Representation ID: 2837
Received: 15/12/2016
Respondent: Stockvale Group
Agent: Stockvale Group
Legally compliant? Yes
Sound? No
This is a very residential-based approach, which does not reflect the proposed Vision and Strategic
Objectives in the previous chapter.
This is not effective in that it is not delivering on the objectives set out in Chapter 2. Indeed, this appears to be ignoring a number of the objectives and focusing on one specific area. Tourism is a large component of Southend's economy, and a key reason why the resort is well known regionally
and nationally. Tourism jobs account for 12.3% of all employment in the Borough (according to the Council's Local Economic Assessment [LEA], December 2013). It is one of the few seaside resorts in the UK of this scale that has such a large reliance on day visitors (95.8%, LEA 2013) and where the visitor numbers are not supported by significant hotel or self-catering accommodation in our around the Town. For example, resorts like Great Yarmouth and Skegness are supported by thousands of caravan parks surrounding the resorts. Blackpool and Scarborough are supported by large numbers of hotels/B&Bs. Southend has historically never been primarily a short break/holiday destination; it
has been a location for day trips from the surrounding urban areas and London. The Southend-on-
Sea Local Economic Assessment (Southend Borough Council, December 2013) confirms (Section 5.4)
that 95.8% of visitors to the town are day visitors. Whilst it is commendable that the Council is attempting to increase overnight stays and support the provision of accommodation, it is a very dangerous strategy to 'side-line' the day trip market, which
this Paragraph, and subsequent paragraphs and policies do. This is not in line with the Vision and Objectives and needs to be amended. Significant other changes are needed elsewhere in the Plan if the Vision and Objectives are to be realised. This is not in line with national policy. In particular Paragraph 17 of the NPPF, which states that
planning should:
"...proactively drive and support sustainable economic development to deliver the homes, business and industrial units, infrastructure and thriving local places that the country needs. Every effort should be made objectively to identify and then meet the housing, business and other development needs of an area, and respond positively to wider opportunities for growth. Plans should take account of market signals, such as land prices and housing affordability, and set out a clear strategy
for allocating sufficient land which is suitable for development in their area, taking account of the needs of the residential and business communities."
RPS has prepared the following representations to Southend Borough Council's Southend Central Area Action Plan (SCAAP), Revised Proposed Submission Version (November 2016) The following Headings represent Paragraphs or Policies contained within the SCAAP. These representations should be read in conjunction with the accompanying completed Representations Forms.
Our client operates the largest and most successful tourism businesses in Southend (The StockvaleGroup is the owner and operator of: Adventure Island theme park; Sealife Adventure; Three Shells beach café; Pavilion Fish and Chips; Feelgoods Pizza Pasta Restaurant; Sands Bistro restaurant; Adventure Inside and Radio Essex). We would like an opportunity to explain our client's business aspirations and explain why the policies in the Plan will not provide a firm basis for the growth of tourism in Southend, and indeed will have the opposite effect on tourism businesses to the objectives set out at the start of the SCAAP. It is very important to our client that the Inspector understands the consequences of adopting the SCAAP as currently drafted.